Structural joint



Nov. 11, 1969 D. L. RICHTER STRUCTURALJOINT Filed Oct. 30, 1968 United States Patent 3,477,752 STRUCTURAL JOINT Donald L. Richter, Harbor City, Calif., assignor to Temcor, Torrance, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 771,892 Int. Cl. F16b 1/00, 5/00, 7/00 US. Cl. 287-189.36 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A structural joint for holding sheet material which consists of laterally spaced ribs forming a pocket between them into which a marginal flange of the sheet material extends. A wedge shaped leg of a locking member is forced into the pocket pressing the flange against a knife edge while another leg of the locking member presses the margin of the sheet material against the top of the leg. A thin web or extension of the higher rib has sections broken from it and bent over the locking member to hold it in position.

Where large panels of sheet material need to be held on a structural frame work in a rigid and preferably water-tight manner, a problem encountered is one of providing for firmly holding the sheet material in place and also sealing the joint, inasmuch as the sheet material in panels often serves as the roof of a building. Typical of the structures wherein this circumstance is encountered is a structure commonly referred to as a geodesic dome. Such domes are constructed of a lattice of structural members erected in a substantially dome shape and wherein portions between the lattice are covered over by some appropriate sheet material, such for example as sheet aluminum. In some instances the spaces are triangular but they can also be of other multi-sided geometric shapes. Although the strength of such domes lies in the lattice-like construction, the sheet material, although serving as the cover, also provides a stiffening effect. In the past elaborate connections of sundry kinds have been devised to serve such a multiple purpose. To a large degree these ,have been expensive and difficult to install. Over an arcuate area such asdomes present, the many-sided geometric patterns have posed special problems where the numerous marginal edges on each piece of sheet material must be properly mounted with respect to the next piece of sheet material, as well as being joined to the lattice structure itself. In addition to presenting difficulties in installation, sealing problems for the multitude of marginal edges have been substantial and those seals resorted to have not been dependable.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved structural joint for the mounting of sheet material upon a structural element the parts of which are inexpensive to manufacture and the structure of which is easy and quick to install.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved structural joint for mounting sheet material upon a structural element which is relatively simple and inexpensive and which requires a substantially minimum number of separate parts.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved structural joint for mounting sheet material which is equally capable of holding flanged sheets and plain sheets whether they be plastic or metal, and which, once in place, provides a reinforced rigid and substantially waterproof joint.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved structural joint for mounting sheet material wherein extra fastening elements such as bolts, rivets, and the like are entirely dispensed with 3,477,752 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 and the fastening accomplished merely by deforming certain basic portions of the structure.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a typical domed surface comprising one of the structures with which the joint is adapted to operate.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a structural joint taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end perspective view of one side of the joint showing a sheet of material which is not provided with a flange held in place by the same joint members.

FIGURE 4 is an end perspective view of the structural member upon which one of the joint parts is formed.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown a building structure 10, the covering of which is a multiplicity of sheets 11 here, by way of example, having the form of triangles wherein all sides of each triangle are joined by complementary sides of adjoining triangles, such for example that there must be a joint on each side of every sheet. Details of the lattice structure are not shown inasmuch as they form no portion of the present invention. Structural elements, however, are significant and in the embodiment chosen consist of H-beams 12 of somewhat special construction consisting of a web 13, a lower leg 14 and an upper leg 15, the upper and lower legs being somewhat thicker in section than the Web.

Extending above the upper leg 15 is a central relatively high rib 16 along the upper or outer edge of which is an extension 17 of relatively less breadth than the rib 16. On relatively opposite sides of the high rib 16 are oppositely facing, but relatively identical low ribs 18 and 19. The low ribs in each instance are laterally spaced from the high rib forming respective pockets 20 and 21.

The pocket 20, for example, is formed between a Wall 22 of the high rib 16 and a wall 23 of the low rib 18. At the top or outer edge of the low rib 18 is an end face 24 which is substantially perpendicular to the side wall 22 of the high rib 16.

Extending along the wall 23 is a projection 25, which in the example of FIGURE 2, is substantially a knife edge and which in the example of FIGURE 4, is a serrated edge 26. Other forms of roughness may also be provided.

An elongated locking member indicated generally by the reference character 30 consists mainly of two divergently disposed legs 31 and 32 which are substantially Wedge shaped, having rounded outer ends 33 and 34, the thickness at the outer end being relatively less than at the inner end and increasing progressively in thickness from the outside end inwardly. Inwardly facing portions of the legs 31 and 32 subtend an angle which is slightly greater than degrees.

On the portion of the locking member 30 opposite from the subtended angle are a pair of laterally spaced fastening ribs 35 and 36 with a shallow, rounded valley between them.

In the form of invention of FIGURE 2 there is shown one of the sheets 11 which has on its marginal portion 38 a flange 39 bent to an angle substantially equal to the subtended angle between the legs 31 and 32. This angular direction, however, is not critical in that the flange will ultimately be forced to assume the same angular direction in the subtended angle, when the joint is made up. To assemble the structural joint, the sheet 11 is laid upon the face 24 and, in the embodiment of FIGURE 1 by way of example, each of the three marginal edges will overlie a corresponding face 24 of each of three H-beam members. If the sheets were pentagons, there would of course be five marginal edges and five H-beams. Other geometric shapes would have corresponding numbers of marginal edges and H-beams. After the flange has been laid in the pocket 20, the locking member 30 is laid in place with one leg 32 projecting into the pocket. The locking member 30 is then driven into the pocket to wedge the leg 32 in place forcing the flange 39 against the projection 25. Once driven securely in wedged position the locking member is held in that position by breaking sections 40 with an appropriate conventional tool from the extension 17 at the top of the high rib 16 and bending the sections into engagement with the adjacent fastening rib 36, thereby to hold the locking member in the wedged position.

The locking member 30 on the right side as distinguished from the left side of FIGURE 2 is driven into position in the same fashion and held in place by sections 41 broken from the extension 17 in the opposite direction.

In the form of invention of FIGURE 3, where a sheet 42 is to be held, which is not provided with flanges as previously described, the same structural joint members are employed. In such instances the sheet may, for exple, be a plastic material and to be securely held in position it should be relatively thick, namely thick enough to support itself over a large span as much as feet without bowing. With a relatively stiif sheet 42 the flange can be dispensed with and the locking member 30 driven into wedged position between the projection 25 and the wall 22 of the high rib 16 to secure and lock the locking member in position. At the same time, the leg 31 is pressed against an upper surface 43 of the sheet 42 forcing it in face-to-face engagement with the face 24 of the low rib 18. As previously described, the locking member 30 is securely anchored in place by making use of sections 40 broken from the extension 17 of the high rib 16.

The form of invention shown in FIGURE 4 possessed of serrated edges 26 is used in the same fashion as has already been described.

On those occasions where there should be greater assurance of a water-tight joint, plastic sealing material may be placed initially in the bottoms of the pockets 20 and 21 before the joint is made up, whereafter the locking member 30 has its leg 32 forced into the pocket and the sealing material therein, thereby to compact it into sealed relationship with other portions of the joint which are forced into face-to-face position.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention;

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A structural joint for mounting sheet material comprising:

an elongated structural base piece having an outwardly disposed supporting member, an outwardly extending high rib and an outwardly extending low rib in laterally spaced relationship on said supporting member and forming a pocket therebetween, said high rib having a side wall adjacent said pocket, said low rib having a face substantially normal to the side wall of said high rib adapted to have marginal por tions of said sheet material mounted thereon, a side wall of said low rib facing the side wall of said high rib and a locking shoulder on the side wall of said low rib, an elongated locking member comprising legs extending in divergent directions, each said leg having a thickness increasing progressively from an outside end inwardly, the thickness of the outside end being less and the thickness inwardly of the outside end being greater than the initial breadth of said pocket, one of said legs being adapted to be wedged between the walls of said pocket when the other leg is in engagement with said marginal portion of the sheet, an extension on an outer edge of said high rib and sections of said extension being separated from the rest of said extension and forced against said locking member to hold it in place.

2. A structural joint as in claim 1 wherein there is an elongated projection extending from the side wall of the low rib inwardly into the pocket.

3. A structural joint as in claim 1 wherein there is a flange on said marginal portion of the sheet extending into the pocket between the side wall of the low rib and the respective leg of the locking member.

4. A structural joint as in claim 2 wherein there is an irregular gripping configuration on said elongated projection.

5. A structural joint as in claim 1 wherein said locking member has a fastening rib located on a corner thereof opposite free ends of said legs adapted to be engaged by portions of the extension of said high rib.

6. A structural joint as in claim 5 wherein there is a fastening rib for each leg spaced laterally from the other fasten-ing rib.

7. A structural joint as in claim 1 wherein the inside end1 of said pocket has a greater breadth than the outside en 8. A structural joint as in claim 1 wherein said extension on the high rib is initially continuous and said portions of the extension are broken from the extension when in fastening engagement with said locking member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,114,791 4/ 1938 Williams 52-461 2,751,109 6/1956 Moore. 2,841,836 7/1958 Watson 52-498 3,066,773 12/ 1962 Raidel.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner 

